List finder



p i 1951 M. s. POLLOCK 2,550,598

LIST FINDER Filed Sept. 21, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet l .53 I4 5 s4 32 I53 4INVENTOR MARTIN S. POLLOGK\ FIG.4. Y

ATTORNEY April 24, 1951 M, POLLOCK 2,550,598

LIST FINDER Filed Sept. 21, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 l2 9 HIHII.||||||||l| 3| 27 INVENTOR I FIG. 8. MARTIN s. POLLOGK,

ATTORNEY v A ril 24, 1951 Filed Sept. 21, 1948 M. s. POLLOCK LIST FINDER4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. l8.

24d l5d H I lllllllllllm. I "'TTTHH Ilium "I I INL VIII INVENTOR MARTINS.'PO LLOCK,

J ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 24, 1951 assists UNITED STATES @ATENT OFFICEMartin Pollock, New York, N. Y.

Application September 21, 1948, Serial No. 50,266

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a desk accessory of the selector type forlisting telephone numbers upon indexed cards and has particularreference to such a device comprising a lower base member having aplatform with a flexible extension thereon and to which base memberthere is pivotally attached at one end an overlapping card holdingclosure member adapted to swing about its pivotal connection to expose aselected card, the front ends of said indexed cards being formed withtabs carrying index indicia thereon which protrude in key board fashionbeyond the front wall of the said card holding closure member, and aspring actuating means for urging the said card holding closure memberto an open position. Anobject of this invention is the provision in adevice of the character described of a base member having a platformwith a, flexible portion projecting freely therefrom and a closuremember pivotally attached to the said base member and adapted to houseindexed recording cards, se-

lectively separating said recording cards, and

means for allowing the said closure member, to

' open and carry an unselected number of the said recording cards withinsame.

Another object of this invention is the provision in a device of thecharacter described including spring means for urging the said indexedrecord-.

ing cards upwardly into the said card holding closure member when thesaid card holding closure member is in its locked and closed position.if r g A further object of this invention is the provision in a deviceof the character described including means for depressing the saidflexible extension to release the said closure member and means to-limitthe return upward movement of the said flexible extension.

A-further object of this invention is the inclusion in a device of thecharacter described of a key board arrangement of tabs upon the saidrecording cards, the said tabs having index indi'cia, thereon.

Another object of this invention is the pro- I vision therein of afriction contact means adapted to hold all or some of the said recordingcards within the said closure member. V 7

A furtherobject of this invention is the inble extension upon the saidbase member for releasing the said snap latch and spring means forurging the said closure member to open position when said snap latch isreleased.

Another object of this invention is the provision therein of a selectorpawl attached to and pendent from said closure member which is adaptedto engage a predetermined card when said cover member rises and a camelement attached to the said base member adapted to'coact with saidselector pawl to move same out of line with the cards whenthe said covermember is in its lowered and closed position.

A further object of thisinvention is the inclusion therein of an arcuatecupped shaped card holding element having a slot in its periphery toallow cards to be readily withdrawn or replaced and means for partiallyrotating said arcuate card holding member for the purpose of withdrawingor replacing cards.

A still further object of this'invention is the provision therein ofspring means for setting the arcuate card holding member in a fixedposition.

A still further object Of this invention is the inclusion therein of aflat spring member attached to the platform of the said base membe'rfandadapted to engage below the bottomcard to lift A still further object ofthis invention'is the provision of a device in which the constituentelements are so arranged structurally and functionally as to assureimproved results with ma-'- terials and members which may bemanufactured at reasonable cost, may be easily assembled and which willbe efiicient in operation with minimum wear to the parts.

The invention possesses other objects and features Of advantage, some ofwhich, with the foregoing will be set forth in the following descrip-"tion and in the claims wherein parts will be idenclusion therein ofmeans for selectively exposing a recording card when the tab of saidcard is depressed.

A still further object of this invention is the provision therein ofspring snap latch for looking the said .closure member to the said basemember, means operable by depressing said next tifiedby specific namesfor convenience, but they are intended to be as generic intheirapplication to similar parts as the art will permit. In theaccompanying drawings there has been illustrated the best embodiment ofthe'invention known to me, but such embodiment is to be regarded astypical onlyof many possible embodiments, and:

the invention is not to be limited thereto.

-The novelfeatures considered characteristic of Fig. 3 is a sideelevational view of sameeim closed condition and slightly enlarged.

Fig. 4 is a rear elevational view showing:parts broken away and thedeviceclosed.

Fig. 4a is a fragmentary detail showing a mod ifiication which will behereinafter described;v

Fig. 4b is a sectional-elevation of same takena1ong;line:4b..-4b.ofqFig. 4a.:

Figals an enlarged sectional-yiew takenalong the.line ,,5 -,-5 of-iFigellooking inethe directionindicated by the. arrows andzshows; in outlinea' fingers about .tozdepresscthe flexible 'extension of the. platform:upon? thesbasee. member...

Fig; 6..is a. similar section showingthe -flexible.

extension. ofsthe platform partly depressed and: theydevicerstill..closed= Fig; 7is aesimilarsectional: view.-. showing the:flexibleextensionofithe platformfully depressed. andsthe; cover. member:released and about: to rise to open position...

Fig. 8 is, .a..s.ec,tional. ,view showing the cover member. fully raisedv and, the device openv expos-- ingto, view, a. selectedgcardh Fig.9;is. a..pantial.front. view= having. parts broken ,away.

Fig l is.a sectional elevationahview of: the hinged portion of thedevice ise-openxposition.

Fig; 11. .is.a. .plan :-viewahaving.the. closure; member:detaohed-andthe cards. remove.d.-.

Fi 12 [is a, plan view.--.ofthe; frontlportionxofthe devioeandshowsamodified formwhich will be; hereinafter. described;

Eig. .13.. a sectional, elevational-,vie wof.- Fig; 12;.taken along theline l2e -I3 of-said. Fig.- 12.-

Fig.- 14 .is .a. detail .viewof the hinge and,v shows. the parts drawnapart.

Fig; l5..is..a..p lan;view. of..the..hinged .section of a .modified,form..

16.. is a. section of same taken along line l-B.+-l6;of Fig..15..

Fig. 17 is a detail of a part. ofsaidhinge...

Eig... l3..is .a..sec,tiona1 elevation showing a;slight modifiicatiomFig. 19,is a. similar.elevation-showing the device partly-open.

Fig 2.0 is adetailsectional view. of. a modifioar tion.

, Fig, 21; is a.planyiewgofrthe,reanportionof a base member with partsbrokenaway-and. show. ing a portionlof a .closure .member. in section,.and

Fig. .22is.a=partialsectionelevation .taken alongline..22l22'.of.Fig.-.2l.-

Referring in detail to. the. parts, lldesignatesabase.memberhaving.aelowwfrontawall. [2; side: walls-l 3;.rean-wall .l 4and-asplatformi l.5.integral-ly.= formedwith-and partially spanningthesidewalls 1 l-3 Thewplatform.1l5Tformedawithgaaforwardlyy extending:flexible portion-*1 l 6 .-inc1ined--downward.-r lytfnom i sgpointofaattaehmentwith theplatform. l'figto;1ts::foremost-;endr Aa'reshapedspring ,sup..

porting member: ll; (Fig; 113 :is.- removably;held.;

upon-:ther-said;platform: li andrcomprises. aeleg IS and laterallyextending cross arms 59 forming the T-shaped member. The long leg l8 ofsaid T-shaped member engages through a perforation 2a in the saidplatform i5 and its flexible extension 16 and has an upturned hook end2| which engages through a perforation 22 in the said platform I5. Lugs23 extend downwardly from the said platform :5 and form guides whichengage the sides of the leg 18 to hold the said supporting-member llinrafnement- Removably attached'recording" cards 24 are adapted to restupon the said platform I5 and are held in perfect alinement thereon bymeans of; frictional contact with upstanding guide lugs 25 which areintegrally formed upon the sides lsrof the said base member ll. Flexibleupstanding-snap latch elements 26 extend laterally from thesaid'fl'exible' portion l6 of the platform lfieandiare integrally formedthereon. The purpose of these snap latch elements will behereinafter-.setfonthz; Cam members. 21-. project inwardly -fromethe.side; 1310f the said. base member. i .l .and; will also-.be hereinafterfurther-:described;

Ascard holding closure member' 28=having an open. front. topr29, sidewallsisfl and anrarcuaterear wall. 3| is-pivotally attached-tothe.walls;i 3 .of the aforesaid base. member byea detachable shaft. 32. engaging;through-bearings-33 in the: side. walls. :3 ofthe-said base member andthroughbearings 34 fin. the :side: walls 5.30 of the saidcardholding.c1osure:member.- (Figs-. 1, 2,- 4- 811G114) Cup-shaped. members -35:having hubformations 36..are slideable. upon .saidshaft 32 butarepermanently fixed thereombymeans of a c.otter..pin.. 3l shown invarioussviews; or by a tapered pin 1i3-shown in Fig. 14;- The;.said-cupshaped. members. 35-are adapted .toreceive. the. aforesaiducardsrls(Figs. 1 and. 2') 'which' are slottedat, 39.300 engage. over theperipheral edgeof.said.cupped..members; The saidcards areformedwithforwardlyprotruding tabs-4il which. carry index indiciaasindicated.v upon Figs.. 1a and.2.-

Dependent from the. top. 2 9 .of .the. said. card;

holding cover 28 is a snaplatchelement 4 l-whi ch is, adapted. .to.engage theaforesaid: snap 1ateb: element 25 W11SIL the. card. holdingclosure'mem ber: islowered-to closed position (Figs..-1,-.5-and-6). Inlfig... l the lower end of the. dependent snap: latonzelement 4!-:isshownrinsectionand in ene gagementwwithhthe snap. latch element '26..The said dependent snap latch element 4| and-its; complementarysnaplatchaelement 2-6 areiflexible and readily. separatedw-hen-apullis-exerted upon theesaid latch-element 26. Springgstrips. or-bands42.- attached .toeandadependent'. from: the. said'top-z 29. of the cardfholdingcover member 28, make africtional contact with the edges oftheaforesaid' cards 24 and hold the cards in'pl'ace within thesaidcovermember- 28.: A downward pressure upon .thecardshowever. willcause them? to slide against the-.said bands d2 until they are freetherefrom. A spring type selector strip-andrhook-v lfi-alsodependentfromrthetop. 2930f the said end 15 of the said selectorpawl 44 acts asazcami" follower;andzengagesrsthe aforesaidrcamt ZG-'upon the saidrlbase:mem-ber andrmovesrtheisaidrselece'- tor pawl: out-Of? engagement with;the edges of saidii cardsfi f The arcuate rear wall3| of the said cover memher is slotted at 46 to provide passage for theside walls I3 when the said cover member is raised, and approximately atthe center thereof, the said arcuate rear wall is formed with atangentially extending lip 41 having an orifice 48 in which I the end ofa tension spring 49 is mounted. The

opposite end of said spring engages a pair of.

' '24 the cupped member 35 may be formed with a slot 52 (Fig. and tobring this slot in line with the u per surface of the platform I5. thesaid cupped member may be partially rotated by means of a pin 53extending through a slot 54 in the arcuate rear wall 3|. To properly fixthe said cupped'member 35 in position, there is provided a flat springpawl 55 which engages in recesses 56 and 5'! formed upon the said cuppedmember. When the cover member 28 is in its raised position, the cuppedmember 35 may be rotated to bring the slot 52 into its open position(Fig. 10) or it may be rotated in the opposite direction to bring theslot 52 to its closed position below the platform I5 (Fig. 8).

' When the card carrying the index letter P is to be exposed to view,finger pressure is applied to the said card (Figs. 2 and 5) which withthe cards below it, is forced downwardly until the bottom card restsupon the extension I6 of the platform I5. At this point it will be noted(Fig. 6) that the snap latch element 26 and the snap latch 7 member 4|are still locked together and that the cam 21 which actuates theselector pawl 45 is holding the said selector pawl 44 out of engagementwith the cards 24. The said cards 24 have, at this point, been dividedinto two parts namely an upper portion 24a which is held in place bycontactwith the friction bands 42 and a lower portion 24b which restsand is held upon the extension IE. The spring member I8 being at thesame time depressed and disposed between the bottom card and the upperface of the extension I6. The finger pressure now further depresses theextension I6 and. the cards 24b upon same, thereby "disengaging the snaplatch element 4| and the snap latch element 26 allowing the spring 49 toswing the cover member to its open position.

When the said snap latch elements 26 and 4| are unlocked-and the saidclosure member moves up the cam follower 45 rides free of the cam 21thereby allowing the selector pawl 44 to engage under the cards 24a andcarry same upwardly within the closure member 28. When the presclosuremembers. In the embodiment shown in Figs. 12 and 13 the snap latchmembers only are arranged at each side while the friction contact bands,selector pawl, cam follower and cam are arranged in the center. Thecardsbeing per- 6 forated at 60 and the flexible extension I6 at 6|.

A further modification is shown in Figs. 15, 16 and 17. In thisembodiment a base member having sides l3, platform I5 and rear wall I4is shown. A closure member having side walls 30' and a top 28' is formedwith a rear wall 3| having a central tongue formation 63 and side tongueformations 64, which are adapted to extend through slots 65 formed attheintersection of the platform It and the rear wall I4. A spring 49'provides the means for swinging the closure member upwardly and open. Astop 66 may be provided to limit the rearward movement of the closuremember. Spring bands 67 having hooked ends 68 and 69 are snapped orsprung into the slots "Ill in the closure member and the slots II in theend tongues 64. Fig. 17 shows the normal shape of the band 6'! and thedot-dash line shows the same in operative position. The said bands 67receive the slotted ends 39 of the recording cards24.

The aforementioned tabs 46 as shown project forwardly in key boardfashion and each tab carries indicia to indicate a letter of thealphabet as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

To prevent the said flexible extension Hi from being distorted ortwisted out of shape when depressed, there is formed thereon a flangeI611 and to limit the upward movement of the said flexible extension I6,hook members I6b are formed thereon. The said hook members I6b engageunder the front wall I 2 of said base member.

.A modified form of. the spring member I8, heretofore described, isshown in Figs. 18, 19 and 21. In this latter form the spring member hasa leg portion I 8a the end of which passes through an orifice 20a in theplatform I5a and engages at its end, a cross rod I512. The end of thespring member leg- IBa being formed to fit snugly around the said crossbar I5b as shown at I5c (Figs. 18 and 19). This said crossbar I 51) isadapted to move in slots I5d upon the side walls I3 of the said basemember II and extends outwardly beyond the said wall to engage the underside of the side walls 30 of the .said closure member. The leg portionI8a of this spring Ila is formed with shoulders I8b which act as afulcrum about which the spring I8a springs.

As the closure member moves downwardly to its closed position, shown inFig. 18, the lower edges of the side walls 30 of the said closure membercontacts the outwardly extending ends of the cross-bar I5b (Figs. 18, 19and 21) to force same down and move the arms I900 upwardly against thesaid recording cards 24. This movement presses the said recording cardsinto the said closure member. When the said closure member is raised toits open position the pressure upon the said cross bar I5b'is removedand the cross bar rises to the position shown in Fig. 19

' and the'arms I9a drop to rest upon the flexible extension 16a of theplatform I5a.

In place of the flexible extension I6 and I6a as hereinbefore describedand shown, there may be provided a rigid extension member I 6b, hingedto the platform I5e at I60 (Fig. 20). To normally urge the said flexibleextension upwardly there is provided a flat spring I6d secured at oneend to a supporting I6e.

Fig. 21 shows a hinging unit comprising shaft 32a, the ends of whichengage in bearings upon the side walls I30. of the base member and inthe side walls 30a of the closure member and through hubs 36a formedupon end disks 35a which 'arerintegrally; connected .by an. arcuate.cross wa1l1:3Ia.-. The lsaidaiarcuate wall. 3la is formed. with arcuateatfingermembers 35b which are=adapted-to engage through perforations 24cin .cards Hf-to hold-same upon the platform lj. Pins-53a, moving inslots 54a, are attached'to the said-finger; members b and afford a meansfor partially rotating the said fingers to bring a slot or. opening 350in position above the platform l5 to facilitate card removals orreplacements. Spring paw1s-55a, engaging in recesseslfifia. and 51a, areprovided: to properly set theposition of said opening.

Themodifiediform illustrated in Figs. 4a and 4bishows a card engagingpawl Ma and a snap latch. Ma combined: as a single unit, the pawlMabeing formed by cutting out and bending down-.asection of the-closurememberZSa While thesnap latch element 261) is formed by cutting out andextending'upwardly a portion of the flexible extension of the basemember.

I claim:

1. In a selector device of the character described, the combination of abase member comprising side and rear walls, .a low front wall, a fixedplatform integrally formed upon and partially spanning the side-wallsand having a freely forwardly extending'flexible and depressibleportion; the front end of which extends slightly beyond the front wallof .the base member, a closure member pivotally-and removably attachedto the base-member; a tensionspring disposed between the base member andclosure member to urge sameupwardly' about. its pivotal connection,flexible upstanding .snapilatch; elements extendingf-rom and'formed uponthe free end of the.

flexibleiextension of 'the fixed platform, a depending flexible snaplatchielement' integrally formed upon the closure-member and,.coactingwith the snap'latch element uponxthe' flexible extension, locksiand"holds the closure 'member in .closed position; recording cards upon'thefixed platform and movable with the closure'member, cupshapedcard'holding' members having inwardly extende ing arcuate side Wallsthereon, a removable shaft pivotally holding the base member, closurememher and cupped card holding members in place, removable pins engagingthrough hubs upon the cupped card holding members, indexed tabs formedupon the recording cards and extending, in keyboard formation, forwardlytherefrom and aligned with the front end of the flexible extension ofthe fixedplatform, each tab, when depressed, being adapted to separatethe cards into an upper and lower stack, the upper stack' of cardsremaining within .and moving with the closure member when same isreleased by the coacting snaplatches, while the lower. stack of cardscomprising a card selected by depressing. a tab, and its underlyingcards. is held depressed against the: flexible extension of thefixed'platform; upstanding. spring guide lugs integrally.

8'; formed-upon the. base memberland..frictionally engagingqagainsttheside .edges of the-recording:

cards, depending spring bands secured at one end to they closure memberand frictionally engaging the front edges of the cards, the saidupstanding; guide lugsand depending-spring bands" adapted to hold thestack of cards in the closure. member while a selected card and itsunderlying, cards are held depressed against the flexible extension ofthe platform.

2. In a selector device, of the character de-' scribed and as set forth.in claim 1, includinga flat T spring element removab-ly secured to thefixed base member andextendingforward and. under the lowermost recordingcard to urge same upwardly.

3. In a selector device of the character described andas set forth inclaim 1, including a; spring, type selector'hook depending from andattached to the closure member and employed as a locking means tosecurely hold the upper stack of recordingjcards within the closuremember and a-cam-upon the base member engaging a pawl formation upon theselector hook to disengage same when the closure member is in closedposition.

4. In a selector device of the character described and as set forth inclaim 1, wherein the arcuate walls of the cup shaped card holdingmembers are formed with slots to facilitate the placement or removal ofcards and a finger hold comp-rising a pin, upon the arcuate walls of thecupped-card holding members, extending through a slot in the closuremember to rotate. the cupped 1 card holder to bring=the slots in thearcuate walls MARTIN S. P'OLLOCK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,895,409- Drucker Jan. 24, 19332,115,537 Peter Apr. 26, 1938 2,1 i1,761 Pollock Dec. 27, 1938 2,223,966Peters et alh Dec. 3, 1940 2,341,983 Faas Feb. 15, 1944

